Take a look at this thread over at Iain Dale's blog and pay particular attention to the comments. Someone has posted a comment stating they are the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport, Tom Harris MP, and the profile links to his blog. A real comment by a junior minister or a hoax? Who knows?If it is the former though it does, as Iain notes in response, show the state that Labour are now in what with the potential backlash (albeit much in the Westminster Village) of seemingly breaking tradition and holding a by-election for Crewe & Nantwich before the former Mother of the House has even been laid in the ground.
Interestingly, Wikipedia notes that Harris "was a keen supporter of John Smith and is reported to be more of a Brownite than a Blairite." It is somewhat ironic, from a mere observer perspective at the time, that the leadership election that followed Smith's death, and that Blair eventually won, was also alleged to have started before the body was even cold (could there be an emerging patten here?)
Of course, as I already said, the comment could be fake, but if it isn't, what might it say about the state of a Government where "the kaleidoscope has been shaken" and "the pieces are in flux"?
2 comments:
Tom Harris started well as Rail Minister under Blair, and industry indication was that his continuing in that post under Brown was welcomed. However, he has been very quiet. In particular it was the Chancellor who publicly told First Great Western to "Get a grip", followed some days later by Sec of State Ruth Kelly and even later (but with more measured language) by Tom.
Whats the difference a Blairite and Brownite, Blairism or Brownism, both have shit on the lowest paid. and those who struggle with disablity or illness.
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